


Samsa

by miloron (ocoa)



Series: Young, with Scabby Knees [1]
Category: NU'EST
Genre: M/M, au - hogwarts
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-11-10
Updated: 2018-11-10
Packaged: 2019-08-21 16:22:02
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,365
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16579955
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ocoa/pseuds/miloron
Summary: "I cannot make you understand."





	Samsa

**Author's Note:**

> Follow me on Twitter @ocoauffs

His feet fell onto the stone floors of the castle, silent. The only sound was the distant howl of the winter wind. His breath came out in white wisps, and he pulled his coat closer. It was cold that night. He ran a hand quickly through his hair, blinking the tiredness from his eyes as he roamed the way back to the kitchens. Nearly tripping on his feet, he cursed quietly. It's too late though, he hears a voice call out.

“Jonghyun?”

He slowed to a stop, eyes looking up. Squinting, he saw a figure step out of the shadows to reveal a boy, the same age as him, a Ravenclaw.

“Minhyun…” Jonghyun glanced down, saw the paper clenched within Minhyun’s fists. “Right, your aunt gave you the Marauder’s Map.”

Jonghyun remembers the first time Minhyun showed it to him and the others, back in second year. Christmas, a day just like the night they faced presently. It was cold. He had fun that year, exploring the nooks and crannies of the castle, finding the ins and outs and hidden spots. He imagines what it must have looked like when he Floo'd in, his name forming in dark ink, footsteps crossing. Minhyun must have been looking at it during his shift again, it was a habit, even if he didn't quite enforce the curfew. He was, if anything, the type to worry too much, especially when it came to those he deemed his charge. 

“Imagine what it would reflect when a certain name disappeared from the Hufflepuff dorm and reappeared hours later…” The prefect’s badge on Minhyun’s lapel glinted off harshly in the moonlight. “Where were you? Where have you been?”

Jonghyun gave a tired smile and wondered how to answer. “I was visiting…my family.”

He could see Minhyun frown. His parents had moved back to Korea a long time ago.

“How did you travel so far so fast? We can’t Apparate within or into Hogwarts, even if you were experienced in doing it. The Floo network into the castle was also blocked off.”

Jonghyun huffed. “My sisters helped me get in, they are very adept at magic reconstruction.”

Minhyun stared at him, and Jonghyun could see the cogs turning. No conclusion was reached, though, and Minhyun sighed. “I suppose they are." 

Jonghyun laughed quietly, walking ahead and Minhyun fell into step with him.

“What did your family want to talk to you about? 

“You know how my mom is… She was panicking about losing something precious to her, so we had to go find it. I found it in the end though, didn’t think she lost it in the United States of all places. Apparently, she went to visit a family friend and left it there. 

Behind them, the hallway was silent.

* * *

Hogwarts, simply put, was always a safe haven for Jonghyun. It was a world for people like him, who could barely control their magic. Jonghyun remembers a time when he was scared of himself, feeling the unbridled energy bouncing off his inner walls, leaving his hands into the game controller he happened to be holding. He remembers screaming, his parents running into the room, their eyes wide. Then he remembers being alone, nothing to accompany him but letters that were worn down from the number of times he would read them. Hogwarts was safer than any of the childhood homes his parents had moved him between. He never felt as safe as the one in Korea, or the one in Scotland. There was only one other place he felt somewhat safe in, though he’s not sure if it’s through rose coloured glasses that he remembers it. Hogwarts, though, he recognises and loves.

They taught him control, better than the restriction his parents had tried to teach him. Being first generation wizards, they hadn’t expected him to be so wildly out of control with his magic. His sisters weren’t that complicated after all.

Plus, he actually had friends, thanks to Choi Minki, who pulled him into a conversation so quickly people were actually questioning whether he should have been placed into Hufflepuff instead of Slytherin. House stereotypes were stupid, Jonghyun told Minki when they were both first years, Jonghyun wasn’t easily to befriend like other the other Hufflepuffs and Minki was easily the most devious in Slytherin. Minki smiled then, all gum and tooth, and Jonghyun wanted to always protect that smile.

Minki also introduced him to the Ravenclaw Hwang Minhyun and the Gryffindor Kang Dongho. Dongho was intimidating, he’d been taller than everyone back then. He also had the tendency to furrow his brows and frown, making everyone think he was angry for some reason or another for a good month. He only started relaxing after Jonghyun sat with him during Potions and Minhyun helped him with his essay, and they all got a lot closer. (It was also then that they all realised that Dongho was a softy who was terrified of picking up kittens. Minki was roaring with laughter at his attempts to pick Lucky up. Eventually even Lucky got tired of him and crawled into his lap. Dongho may or may not have almost cried.)

Jonghyun trusted the other 3 with his life, of course he would.

Still.

“Say Jonghyun, aren’t you looking really tired?” Jonghyun looked up from his food, mouth aching a bit from chewing.

“Hmm?” He responds, and Minki sighed as if his conclusion was correct.

“Jonghyun, you need to rest… I can ask Professor Kwon to give you a few weeks off if you want-,”

“I’m fine, Minhyun. I can handle it. The professor doesn’t really ask much from me other than making sure that no one steals hangover cures from her ingredients storage.”

The Ravenclaw prefect frowned but, thankfully, let it go. Minhyun always noticed details, but he was never one to push, and he was never one to reveal other people's secrets. 

“Still,” Dongho murmured, finally returning back to their conversation from where he had been eyeing something in the distance, “you do look exhausted. Have you been sleeping?”

Minhyun glanced sharply at Jonghyun, who thinks back to the number of times the past week his mother had floo’d him through the small holder she enchanted for him. “Yeah,” he lied.

Minki and Dongho stare at him, completely unconvinced.

Jonghyun groaned, “Look I’m fine. I’m eating, I’m sleeping at least 4 hours a day, I can take care of myself.”

Dongho, the hypocrite, scoffed. “That’s not enough sleep.”

“What time did you and Jihoon sleep last night?”

Dongho scowled back at him. Both he and the Slytherin fifth year were infamous for meeting in the middle of the night to talk about music. Jonghyun was always glad that they befriended each other, seeing as which they were both the type to keep to themselves, but they were night-owls. He heard Seongwoo complaining to Minki about Jihoon being bad at closing the dungeon gates.

Jonghyun leaned back with a sigh, eyes wandering the noisy Great Hall. It wasn’t as full as it could have been, breakfast was nearly over, but none of them had first period that day, sixth year was a lot more easy-going than the hustle and bustle of basic classes in first year. He felt weirdly at peace, even if Minki was pushing Dongho over and Minhyun was screaming in laughter at the side. He felt a weight subside in him.

He was fine like this.

He _was_ fine like this.

* * *

The Forest whistled, damp and dark even in the late morning. The creature slowed to a stop, nose lifted in the air. It sniffed, before turning against the winds' flow. The wind carried a familiar scent, one that tasted sour with darkness and sorrow. It growled low, before quieting. Calm, it tells itself, calm. The words come in a voice that slows its racing heart and fills it with peace. It must remain calm, or its target would notice. The Hunt burned under its skin, rolling and shaking between its claws. It continued onwards, towards the scent's origin. 

Its heart roared for the blood of its owner's abductor. 

It sees the castle and bares its teeth in a grin. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oof wanted to write this for a while. Hopefully I won't show all my hands but knowing me I'd probably reveal everything.

**Author's Note:**

> won't update for about a week, maybe more, since i didn't have this planned,  
> might have plot holes
> 
> i wont be working actively on the rest of my wips until my semester break
> 
> > Follow me on twitter @kwaks43!


End file.
